West Down War Memorial

St Calixtus Church, Church Pool, West Down, Devon, EX34 8NQ

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

A First World War memorial dating from around 1920. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462655
Date first listed:: 21-Feb-2019
List Entry Name:: West Down War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St Calixtus Church, Church Pool, West Down, Devon, EX34 8NQ

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1462655
Date first listed:: 21-Feb-2019
List Entry Name:: West Down War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Calixtus Church, Church Pool, West Down, Devon, EX34 8NQ

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Calixtus Church, Church Pool, West Down, Devon, EX34 8NQ

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Devon
District:: North Devon (District Authority)
Parish:: West Down
National Grid Reference:: SS5159842051

Summary

A First World War memorial dating from around 1920.

Reasons for Designation

West Down War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it is a dignified and sombre stone cross, neatly made and well-proportioned.

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact on the local community of the events of the First World War.

Group value:

* with the Grade I listed Church of St Calixtus.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead. The memorials therefore provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at West Down, in the churchyard of the parish church, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 22 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The name of the single parishioner who fell during the Second World War was subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

A First World War memorial dating from around 1920.

MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed from granite.

PLAN: the memorial stands adjacent to the path about 40m north-west of the Church of St Calixtus.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a plain Latin cross with chamfered edges set atop a tall, square, five-stepped base. The main inscription in leaded lettering on the western face of the upper step reads:

THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED/ BY THE PARISHIONERS OF WEST DOWN/ IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1919

The names of ten of the First World War fallen are given in two columns on the western face of the second step, and twelve men in three columns on the third step, beneath which is the inscription FIGHT A GOOD FIGHT.

On the southern face of the upper step is the additional inscription:

ROBERT WILLIAM DAVIS/ WHO FELL IN WORLD WAR II/ 1939 - 1945.

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museums Register, accessed 8.11.2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/25716
War Memorials Online database, accessed 8.11.2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/98435

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.